_Forgiveness is a powerful theme during the season of Lent. Even though we do not fully observe Lent in our non-denominational church, we are all commanded to forgive.Big questions that surround forgiveness are:>How do you forgive those who have wronged you?>How do you forgive yourself?>What is the unforgiveable sin?>How to ask God to forgive our city, nation?“Unforgiveness is like taking poison and hoping that the other person dies.” Joyce MeyersForgiveness is a key component of Lord’s Prayer:Matthew 6:12,14-15And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.14For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.15But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.Because:God is a forgiving GodMicah 7:18Who is a God like you, who pardons sin and forgives the transgression of the remnant of His inheritance? You do not stay angry forever but delight to show mercy.We must forgive like GodMatthew 6:15But if you do notforgive others their sins, your Father will notforgive your sins. >How to forgive others who have wronged or harmed you:You cannot pray, "God help me forgive.”. God's command to forgiven means He has already given us power and tools to forgive. Pray, Lord I choose to forgive _____ for the pain they have caused. I release them into you perfect justice.>Embrace God’s forgiveness for yourself by applying and believing 1 John 1:9.If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.>The unforgiveable sin written about in Matthew 12:31-32 is NOT suicide, adultery, divorce, murder, or abortion. It is the continuous and intentional rejection of the Holy Spirit’s testimony of Jesus Christ committed by unbelievers.>We can call on God to forgive our nation in a similar way Moses did when the nation of Israel had strayed from the LORD.Numbers 14:19-20 Moses’ plea19 In accordance with your great love, forgive the sin of these people, just as you have pardoned them from the time they left Egypt until now.”20 The Lord replied, “I have forgiven them, as you asked.So now what?

Embrace God’s lavish forgiveness in your life.

Who do I need to forgive?

Lord, I forgive ___________ and I give up my bitterness against them. You are the perfect judge and you will work in their life. Do your healing work in my life.

{Today, we celebrate St Patrick’s Day and I am reposting my blog about St Patrick from last year.}Other than shamrock shakes and wearing green, why is St Patrick recognized? St Patrick is the patron saint of Ireland. Though, widely known, much of his life is a mystery and it is difficult to determine what stories are accurate and what stories are legends.

Here is what we do know, from History.com: St. Patrick was born in Britain and lived there until he was a teenager. It is known that St. Patrick was born to wealthy parents near the end of the fourth century. He is believed to have died on March 17, around 460 A.D. Although his father was a Christian deacon, it has been suggested that he probably took on the role because of tax incentives and there is no evidence that Patrick came from a particularly religious family.

At the age of sixteen, Patrick was taken prisoner by a group of Irish raiders who were attacking his family's estate. They transported him to Ireland where he spent six years in captivity. During this time, he worked as a shepherd, outdoors and away from people. Lonely and afraid, he turned to his religion for solace, becoming a devout Christian. (It is also believed that Patrick first began to dream of converting the Irish people to Christianity during his captivity.)

After more than six years as a prisoner, Patrick escaped. According to his writing, a voice-which he believed to be God's-spoke to him in a dream, telling him it was time to leave Ireland.

To do so, Patrick walked nearly 200 miles to the Irish coast where he boarded a ship. After escaping to Britain, Patrick reported that he experienced a second revelation; an angel in a dream tells him to return to Ireland as a missionary. Soon after, Patrick began religious training, a course of study that lasted more than fifteen years. After his ordination as a priest, he was sent to Ireland with a dual mission-to minister to Christians already living in Ireland and to begin to convert the Irish. (Interestingly, this mission contradicts the widely held notion that Patrick introduced Christianity to Ireland.) More can be read at http://www.history.com/topics/who-was-saint-patrick

St. Patrick was named a patron saint of Ireland for the spiritual impact he made in the country that kidnapped him and enslaved him for six years.

God does extraordinary things through ordinary people that hear and obey His voice. What can you do on St. Patrick’s Day that is a response to obeying God?

More than 1 billion people around the world are participating in Lent which began February 18 this year’s Ash Wednesday. I did not grow up participating in Lent or knowing much about Lent.It confused me when people had an ash mark on their forehead on Ash Wednesday. Were they Hindu? I knew that people gave up sweets , coffee or something and ate fish on Fridays. I was glad that I did not have tp participate in Lent.Brian Backe, a senior director at Catholic Relief Services, writes, “Despite its ancient history (Lent became standardized in the Catholic Church around the year 325) myths about Lenten traditions abound. Here are five of the most commonMyth 1: Lent is 40 daysCounting from Ash Wednesday to Holy Saturday, there are 46 days. Then why do we always refer to the 40 days of Lent? The 40 days of fasting during Lent do not include Sundays. Every Sunday Christians commemorate the day of Christ's resurrection, thus, Sunday by its nature is a day of joy and celebration. The Sundays during Lent are not prescribed days of fasting and abstinence, so meat is permitted.Myth 2: Lent ends on Easter SundayLent ends on Holy Thursday.The season of Lent begins on Ash Wednesday, February 18 this year, and ends on Holy Thursday, April 2, which commemorates Jesus' last supper with his disciples.Myth 3: Catholics abstain from meat during LentOnly on Fridays during Lent are Catholics required to abstain from meat in remembrance of the sacrifice Jesus made on Good Friday. According to abstinence laws, meat includes warm-blooded animals and birds. Fish and other cold-blooded animals are not prohibited.Local Catholic bishops may determine specific foods included in abstinence. This can lead to interesting exceptions. For instance, in the Catholic Archdiocese of Detroit, eating muskrat is allowable on Fridays during Lent. Puffin, beaver and alligator are permissible in some places, too!Myth 4: The Pope decides the date of EasterFor nearly 1,700 years Easter has fallen on the first Sunday after the Paschal, or Passover, full moon. The earliest possible date of Easter is March 22, and the latest is April 25.This year Easter is on April 5.The way to calculate the date of Easter was determined at a meeting of church bishops and others called the Council of Nicea in 325.Myth 5: Jesus went into the desert for 40 days before he was put to death Actually, Jesus spent 40 days in the desert before beginning his public ministry, several years before he was crucified.The 40 days of Lent are a time to remember and imitate the life and ministry of Jesus as Christians prepare to commemorate his death and resurrection at Easter.”Lent is not in Bible, but prayer, fasting, repentance and serving which are encouraged during the season of Lent is in Bible. My bent on Lent is that the goal should be to draw near to the Lord Jesus, hear more clearly and obey cheerfully.